Absolute Advantage
by perfectlyrose
Summary: Absolute advantage - The ability to produce something with fewer resources than other producers would use to produce the same thing. (Or the one where Rose gets more than she bargains for out of a required econ course.) [Nine/Rose professor/student AU]


Birthday fic for the lovely fleur based on a tumblr post and written because fleur loves teacher/student aus and so do i :)

also if smut is not your thing, you can skip the last section. there's nothing really plot-relevant there.

* * *

 ** _Absolute advantage_ -** _The ability to produce something with fewer resources than other producers would use to produce the same thing._

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Rose dragged her feet as she walked into her introductory economics class on the first day of the semester. She did _not_ want to be here and there was a whole list of reasons for that topped by the fact that it was economics, a decidedly yawn-inducing subject, and that it was currently four minutes before nine in the morning. The class was required though and she'd already put it off for two years.

She paused in the doorway, clutching the strap of her book bag as she did a quick survey of the available seats. The back three rows were all completely full so she made her way to an empty seat near the middle of the room, deliberately picking one that was between two other unoccupied chairs.

Rose was pulling out her notebook and a pen when she registered someone taking the seat to her right. She kept her head down, unnecessarily reorganizing her supplies, not wanting to encourage conversation.

"Hey, I'm Adam."

Rose barely kept from groaning and rolling her eyes. So much for avoiding conversation. She looked up and pasted on a smile. "'M Rose," she said, eyeing him. Definitely a freshman and a cocky freshman at that, they were always the ones to start random conversations before class. Just her luck.

"So have you heard anything about this class or the professor or anything? I'm majoring in Economics and Finance so I want to make sure that this is the best class for me." His words were practically dripping with his arrogance as he unsubtly dropped in his double major.

Rose wanted to cut the conversation off there but if he was any good at econ, she might have use for him when she inevitably got lost in the math later in the semester. Math and mornings had never mixed well for her.

"Listen mate, I'm only taking this class because it's required. I'm a marketing major and not very interested in econ," she rattled off, watching as the kid's eyes light up. He had apparently picked up on the fact that helping her was going to be his in.

Damn but she was good, even early in the morning.

He opened his mouth again, probably to assure her that he was completely capable of assisting her or some drivel like that when the door at the back of the classroom slammed open. Rose gave him a small smile to seal the deal and then turned to face the front of the classroom, slumping down in her seat in preparation for the inevitable hour of boredom that was to ensue.

When Doctor Smith reached the front of the classroom and turned around to face his students, Rose straightened in her seat.

Oh, she was in trouble. The man was bloody gorgeous with his slightly too-large features and piercing blue eyes. There was no way she was going to be able to pay the needed attention to economics with him at the front of the room wrapped in a suit that fit just right and made his arse look fantastic.

And then he opened his mouth and Rose knew that she wasn't going to be able to focus on anything but him.

Doctor Smith launched straight into the day's lesson, telling them that the syllabus was posted online and he wasn't going to waste time reading it to them.

Rose managed to scratch out a few notes but she was certain she hadn't absorbed any of the actual material, not with the way her professor's voice sounded wrapped around all the terms and numbers, all low and rough and Northern. It was outright obscene.

She packed her things slowly at the end of class, making noncommittal noises as Adam chattered at her before rushing off for his next class. Rose had just stood up from her seat when Doctor Smith finished talking with another student at the front of the class and looked up, making direct eye contact with her.

He sent a crooked smile her way and Rose grinned back before ducking her head to hide the flush on her cheeks.

So much trouble. This was definitely not the first time in her twenty years that she'd had a crush on a teacher. Always had a thing for older blokes, Rose had. But this, this was definitely the worst it had ever been and she couldn't wait for her next econ class.

Weeks passed in this manner. Rose faithfully showed up to every single class despite the early hour and relatively lax attendance policy. She spent the period pretending to take notes as she indulged in daydreams about the dreamy Doctor Smith and his voice that made even economics sound sexy.

Adam continued to be persistent in his perusal of her and Rose showed him just enough attention that he continued to let her copy his notes when she zoned out during class while fantasizing about her professor's big hands skimming across her skin and the sight of his suit jacket crumpled on the floor.

She didn't think she was imagining that Doctor Smith's gaze landed on her more often than anyone else when he was lecturing. She knew she wasn't imagining that he always sought her gaze at the end of class to give her a smile.

(She had to convince herself for her own sanity that those smiles were not as wicked or full of heat as she thought they might be.)

Before the second test, Rose dropped by during his office hours. She was taken aback at first when she saw he was clad in a leather jacket and jumper instead of his normal suits but quickly decided she liked this look just as much. She swore he flirted with her as he explained some of the key concepts of the unit to her and she flirted right back, tucking her tongue between her teeth as she smiled at him.

By the time she left her heart was hammering, her cheeks were flushed, and had been told to call him John instead of Professor or Doctor. She also had the economics knowledge she'd presumably come to him for but that was a distant second in her mind.

Rose was in deep and she knew it.

It was almost the end of the semester when Adam finally started pushing Rose for a date, thinking he might have a chance after an entire term of her sending him lukewarm smiles and borrowing his notes and generally talking to him as little as possible.

She would have blown him off ages ago but the kid took good notes and didn't charge more than a smile for them.

"C'mon Rose, just one dinner. I'd really like to see you outside of class," Adam weaseled. They were supposed to be working in pairs on a problem for Doctor Smith but the freshman had decided to use the time to continue to press his case.

"I dunno if that's a good idea, Adam," she hedged.

"Why? Are you seeing someone?"

Rose's eyes strayed to John for a split second before focusing back on her paper. "No, not at the moment."

"Then there's no reason for you not to give me a chance!"

He sounded so satisfied with himself that Rose couldn't help throwing more obstacles in his way. "You're at least two years younger than me."

"But I'm very mature for my age and am getting top marks in all of my classes. Age is just a number, anyways."

Rose couldn't completely argue with that since she was half in love with a man who was about 15 years older than her—a man that was watching her and Adam's interaction with narrowed eyes like he had heard their conversation and didn't like it.

A smile spread over her face as an idea hit. "Alright, if you think you're so clever, why don't you prove it? If you can ask Doctor Smith a question and he answers it incorrectly, I'll go on a date with you."

Adam smiled in triumph, obviously sure that he would be able to easily trick Professor Smith into an incorrect answer of some sort. He mulled it over for a couple minutes, smug smile still in place, before he raised his hand to get his target's attention.

John noticed immediately, Rose observed with a small smile of her own, but made Adam wait an extra thirty seconds before acknowledging that he had a question.

"Yes, Mr. Mitchell? You have a question?" He asked, barely holding onto a polite tone as he drew nearer to where Rose and Adam were seated.

"Yeah." Adam pointed at Rose, "Will she go out with me tonight?"

Rose almost groaned. Of course the little prick had picked a paradoxical question to ensure that she would be trapped into a date.

"No." John's tone was even and decisive, brooking no room for argument as he stared Adam down.

He spared a quick glance at Rose before moving on to answer someone else's question in another part of the room.

Adam looked supremely satisfied with himself and started asking Rose where she wanted to go for dinner while she tried to deflect, saying she'd tell him later.

She fended him off until the end of class, which was luckily only five minutes later, and promised to text him her decision on their date venue.

Like she did every class, Rose packed up slowly. She didn't look up to meet John's eyes and smile at him though. She waited until the throng of students thinned out before approaching the front of the room.

When she looked up John was leaning against the whiteboard, feet crossed at the ankles and looking positively delectable in his dark grey suit and little fuck-me smirk. Rose rounded the desk at the front of the room and then leaned back against it, not breaking eye contact.

"So, why did you sound so certain about me not going out with Adam tonight?" She questioned after a charged moment.

"Because you're having dinner with me." John didn't ask, he stated, sure of his welcome.

Rose gave a moment's thought to the fact that the arrogance she found so off-putting in Adam, was a huge turn-on when It came to John.

"Am I?"

"Was going to wait until the end of the semester to ask but putting that self-assured little prick in his place seemed like a better idea," he admitted, still not showing any signs of being unsure of her acceptance.

But then why would he be? They had been flirting from day one of class.

"Alright then, _Professor_ , I'm all yours for the evening."

The smile that lit up his face was brilliant and entirely wicked as he breathed out a single word. "Fantastic."

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One Year Later:

John didn't look up from the papers he was grading when someone knocked on his door frame.

"Just a mo'," he said gruffly. It was the end of office hours and no one had shown up until now. It was just like his students to come by at the last minute when he was itching to get out of the office and go home. He had plans for the night.

"You look busy, Professor. Should I come back later?"

John's head snapped up at the sound of his visitor's voice. Sure enough, Rose was leaning against the door frame wearing a flirty smile and a flimsy sundress.

It was always nice when his plans came to him.

"You made it just before office hours ended, Miss Tyler. Do you have a question for me?" He leaned back in his chair to see what she'd do next.

Rose stepped into his office, closing and locking the door behind her. She ran her eyes over him, licking her lips as she took him in. She honestly never got tired of seeing him in a suit.

"I've been having a hard time, Doctor. I think I need some private tutoring. 'S why I came to office hours." She walked towards him, swaying her hips as she rounded his desk.

John slid his chair back to make room for her. As soon as she leaned back against the desk he stood, caging her against the piece of furniture.

"Well, Miss Tyler, seems like my schedule is free for some one-on-one time."

He didn't give her a chance to respond, crushing his mouth against hers instead. She immediately opened for him, their tongues falling into a now-familiar dance.

Rose had one hand gripping the nape of his neck and one on his arse. John's hands were restless, moving from her hair to trace their way down to the hemline of her dress. One hand started inching up under the dress and when he felt the smooth skin of her hip he pulled back from the kiss, eyes completely dark.

"Fuck, Rose."

"That's the idea, John," she teased. "Figured not wearing knickers would expedite the process seeing how anyone might walk by and hear us."

"You're trying to kill me," he croaked, thumb stroking circles on her hipbone.

Rose leaned forward, lips brushing against his ear as she whispered. "Not trying to kill you, just want you. Now." She punctuated that statement with a nip to his earlobe and he growled.

"Jump up, love," he instructed, resting his hands on her hips as she complied.

John wasted no time in stepping into the space between her legs that she created, grinding his still-clothed erection against her as he moved one of his hands to rest on her thigh.

"This is a pitiful excuse for a dress, Rose. Barely covers anything," he teased, lips brushing hers.

"Take it off me, then," she challenged breathlessly.

"Like you said, anyone could hear us if they walk by. Wouldn't want them to make it in and find me fucking a naked, former student on my desk now would we?" He moved his mouth down to her neck, brushing barely-there kisses along the column of her throat as the hand on her thigh started to move upward, taking the fabric of her skirt with it.

Rose whimpered. "Locked the door, no one can get in."

"Don't care, dress stays on," he suddenly abandoned his teasing and latched onto the skin at the join between neck and shoulder, sucking at it until her was sure it would leave a mark and eliciting a loud moan from his lover.

"Shh, don't want anyone to hear us," he admonished, letting her go with an obscene pop. "Wouldn't want to have to gag you."

Rose smirked and reached out to finger his tie. "Wouldn't be the first time."

"Wouldn't be the last either," he agreed. "Think we're doing too much talking, not enough fucking, though."

"Whose fault is that?" Rose snarked, pulling him closer by the tie. "You've got your hand under my skirt and I'm not wearing knickers but you're still dressed."

John slid his hand the rest of the way up her inner thigh, encountering evidence of her arousal long before he reached the apex of her thighs. He cupped her sex gently, smirking when Rose rocked against him helplessly, seeking friction.

He relented after a few seconds, readjusting the position of his hand and slipping a finger inside of her.

"This what you want, Rose? My fingers buried inside of you?" He added another finger pumping them in and out slowly.

"John," she panted. "Need you. Inside me. Now."

"Fuck." John drew his hand back from Rose, ignoring her protest and started fumbling with his belt. He watched as Rose laid back, propping herself up on her elbows and spreading her legs further.

"Hurry, Doctor."

He wasn't sure he'd ever undone his trousers faster. As soon as he managed to push them and his pants down to his knees he buried himself inside of her, eliciting muttered curses from both of them.

"Oh God," Rose cried out as he set up a rhythm. "Been waiting on this all day."

"You're still able to talk. That's a problem," John replied with a grunt, speeding up his thrusts, fingers on one hand gripping her hip tightly as he reached up with the other to palm her breast.

Rose responded with a long moan. "Need more, John."

He leaned forward and sucked at her other breast through her dress, tonguing at her nipple through the fabric of her dress. Rose immediately had a hand on his head, keeping him in place.

"John, please!"

John could feel her tightening around him and moved so that he could press a thumb against her clit, rubbing rough circles in time with his thrusts.

"Come for me, Rose," he pleaded, voice rough.

She complied with a shout, clenching around him. After a few more strokes, John followed.

He collapsed on top of her, both breathing heavily.

"I'm never going to be able to get any work done in here, now," he commented, nuzzling against her breasts.

Rose giggled. "Maybe that was the point. Happy Anniversary, Professor."

He shifted up and caught her lips in a kiss once more.

They both pretended there was no one in the office when someone came knocking a few minutes later to ask if John had heard any yelling.


End file.
